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Everton have agreed to a ‘ridiculous’ deal for Dele Alli, says former West Ham and Celtic star Frank McAvennie. 

The lowdown

Frank Lampard’s arrival at Goodison Park was greeted with the signings of Dele from Tottenham Hotspur and Donny van de Beek from Manchester United.

According to a report from The Athletic, the possibility of recruiting Dele had been raised in Lampard’s interviews for the job.

The 43-year-old subsequently sanctioned the transfer, confident he could extract the best from his compatriot, and his endorsement was a ‘big factor’ in Everton’s willingness to meet Spurs’ demands.

If performance-related add-ons are triggered, Dele could wind up costing £40million (via Sky Sports).

The latest

McAvennie was left scratching his head at the price tag, telling Football Insider that Everton had taken a ‘risk’.

“That £40million though, how can Tottenham can ask for that,” he said. “Why did Everton sanction that?

“That’s ridiculous. He hasn’t kicked a ball for two years. I guess if he does well enough to hit those targets then the signing will be worth it.

“Obviously it’s a risk but I think we will see the best of Dele Alli again. He’s needed this move for a long time.”

The verdict

Perhaps Everton are paying for the player Dele once was. He made his name by winning landing back-to-back PFA Young Player of the Year awards in 2016 and 2017.

His end product has dried up almost completely in recent times, though. Since the start of last season, he’s managed just one goal and one assist.

In the five previous campaigns, he’d managed a total of 50 goals and 36 assists.

It’s not quite fair to say he hasn’t ‘kicked a ball’, but his involvement has dropped off rather dramatically. From his peak of 3,044 Premier League minutes in 2016/17, he fell to just 617 last term.

At least the add-ons are performance-related, meaning Everton would theoretically get some bang for their buck.

In other news, Greg O’Keeffe reacts to a ‘disappointing’ sight at Goodison.

Kevin Phillips has mixed feelings about Leeds United’s potential move for John Swift but has tipped Marcelo Bielsa to get the best out of him.

The Lowdown: Leeds linked with Swift move

The Whites are reportedly keen on signing the 26-year-old in the January transfer window in order to add squad depth in the middle of the park.

Swift is enjoying a fantastic season in the Championship with Reading, scoring eight goals and setting up another eight and arguably standing out as one of the best players in the division.

Bielsa has called the Reading maestro a ‘great player’ in the past, adding further fuel to the fire regarding a move to Elland Road.

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The Latest: Phillips has mixed feelings

Phillips is a bit unsure about the prospective transfer, telling Football Insider that he would love to see Swift succeed at Elland Road but feeling that it would be a “gamble” to take him to the Premier League. He said:

“I think it would be a slight gamble from Leeds. It’s a big jump, moving from the Championship to the Premier League.

“He is a player who has been around a while now. It makes you wonder why nobody has brought him up to the Premier League already.

“However, we know when Bielsa signs a player, he gets the best out of them. Swift might be one of those players who comes up to the Premier League and really surprises everyone. I would love to see him jump up and make an impression.

“If I’m honest though, I’m dubious as to whether he could do that. Bielsa’s man-management skills could bring out the best in him though. It’s certainly a position Leeds are light in.”

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The Verdict: Trust Bielsa?

The idea of signing a Championship player is naturally less enticing than bringing in someone from a top European league, but Bielsa has shown that he should be trusted with signings, given the success he has enjoyed at Leeds. The Argentine can also take credit for moulding the likes of Kalvin Phillips, Luke Ayling and Patrick Bamford from being useful Championship operators to accomplished Premier League-standard footballers.

He may believe that Swift has exactly what it takes to be a key player in his system, most importantly providing him with more midfield options as well. The 26-year-old is averaging 2.8 key passes per game in the Championship this season, with Raphinha (2.2) Leeds’ strongest performer in that area.

With Adam Forshaw still only recently back from a two-year injury absence and Kalvin Phillips’ future up in the air, the need for more bodies in the middle of the park is evident.

In other news, Phil Hay has discussed Leeds’ possible January transfer business. Read more here.

Many Sheffield Wednesday fans have been slamming the performance of Saido Berahino in their 3-0 loss at home to Hartlepool United on Wednesday night.

The Owls were simply blown away by their League Two counterparts in the Papa John’s Trophy, with goals from Mark Shelton and Will Goodwin as well as an own goal from Jaden Brown more than enough to dispose of the hosts.

There were some pretty poor performances for the home side, and Berahino in particular had a very disappointing game.

The former West Brom striker lost out on all three of his duels and also failed with both of his goal attempts, while he made no successful dribbles or key passes. He was also guilty of losing the ball six times and only managed 31 touches in total, fewer than Owls goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith (SofaScore).

Sheffield Wednesday fans on Berahino display

These Wednesday fans slammed Berahino’s performance on Twitter, with one supporter going as far as to claim that he was ‘useless’ against Hartlepool:

“I think Berahino and Sow are our worst ever players. Unbelievably bad.”

Credit: @Oliver19923

“The three useless B’s, Brown, Byers and Berahino. The rest not much better.”

Credit: @jazza_72

“Wildsmith, Brown, Wing and Berahino get rid.”

Credit: @waynestevens18

“Berahino stealing a living”

Credit: @Bananaman1982

“Berahino, what a waste of a wage”

Credit: @AndrewS33340287

“Berahino is so bad”

Credit: @Owlsfan941

In other news, find out what injury news had  these Owls fans talking

Celtic are set to seal the signings of three players in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Pete O’Rourke, who stated his belief in a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT that he expects Celtic to sign all three of Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi in the winter market.

Speaking about Ange Postecoglou’s reported interest in the Japanese trio, the journalist said: “Postecoglou obviously knows these players from his time in the J1 League and they’ve had success with Kyogo Furuhashi following his arrival in the summer. He’s been a big hit up at Celtic Park as well. I’m not saying these deals are straightforward but they should happen.”

Fans will be buzzing

Considering the sheer amount of injuries Celtic have suffered in recent weeks, the news that the club look set to seal deals to bring at least three additional players into the club in the January transfer window is sure to have left the Parkhead faithful buzzing.

And, considering just how impressive each of the Bhoys’ reported targets were in Japan this season, it would appear as if Celtic will not only be bringing more bodies into their first-team squad, but also three incredibly talented players.

Indeed, over his 36 J League appearances this season, the £990k-rated Maeda scored an astonishing 23 goals, provided three assists and created four big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 2.6 shots and making 0.9 key passes per game.

These returns saw the 24-year-old Japan international earn a highly impressive seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.09, ranking him as Yokohama F Marinos’ joint sixth-best performer in the league.

Meanwhile, over his 30 J League appearances, the £720k-rated Hatate bagged five goals, registered two assists and created three big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.1 key passes, 1.5 interceptions, 1.3 tackles, 51.7 passes and winning 5.3 duels per fixture.

These returns saw the versatile central midfielder – who can also play at left-back or on the left-wing – earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.16, ranking him as his Kawasaki Frontale’s fifth-best player in the league.

Finally, over his 29 J League outings, the £720k-rated Ideguchi made an average of 1.2 interceptions, 2.3 tackles, 29.1 passes and won 2.7 duels per game, with these returns seeing the central midfielder earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.76.

As such, should each of these three deals be completed, as O’Rourke suggests they will be, the arrival of the trio could subsequently allow Postecoglou to clear some of the deadwood out of his current first-team squad.

The £18k-per-week centre-forward Albian Ajeti, the £15k-per-week left-back Boli Bolingoli and the £8k-per-week central midfielder Ismaila Soro looking to be prime candidates for the chop in the January transfer window.

In other news: Major blow: Celtic dealt potentially huge setback pre-Old Firm, fans will be outraged

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Steve Bull, who made 561 appearances for Wolves, claims the way Wolves frequently start games slowly does his head in but saw them back to their old best against Liverpool.

Bull was delighted to see his former club performing at their best for 90 minutes against the champions, however he knows this needs to be the standard for the remainder of the season after a campaign of starting slow and finishing fast.

The Wolves legend claims that when the side starts slowly it does his and thousands of other fans’ heads in, because of the way they then see their team finish games at full speed.

Speaking on how much it has annoyed him this season and how happy he was with the performance against Liverpool, Bull told FFC exclusively:

“It does my head in just like it does 30,000 Wolves fans’ heads in because when they finish a game they’re like a steam train.

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“I saw a glimpse against Liverpool. I thought it was the old Wolves and it was two teams going toe-to-toe. Wolves came firing out the blocks from the first whistle to the very last whistle.

“How we got nothing out of that game was unbelievable. It was like watching the old Wolves which I haven’t seen for a long time.”

Wolves have had an indifferent season as they’ve failed to adapt after losing Raul Jimenez to injury last year, as well as Diogo Jota who joined Liverpool in the summer, with the latter subsequently scoring the winner last time out.

The Midlands side find themselves languishing in the bottom half of the table nine points ahead of the relegation zone, as they enter the final 10 games of the season with little to play for.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been handed another significant attacking injury blow with Anthony Martial sustaining a problem during the international break.

Taking on Kazakhstan in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier with France, the Red Devils winger was withdrawn in the second half of the game with a suspected knee injury.

Martial appeared to develop the problem after the half-time break in Les Bleus’ 2-0 success and despite receiving treatment and initially continuing, he had to be substituted just before the hour mark when he was replaced by Paris Saint Germain star Kylian Mbappe.

Solskjaer will certainly be hoping that the problem is not too serious, with the Red Devils’ attack being a problem position in regards to injuries in recent weeks.

Forward Marcus Rashford is already out and despite being initially called up for the latest England squad, he has returned to Old Trafford for treatment.

Meanwhile, Uruguay forward Edinson Cavani has missed six out of the last eight Manchester United matches in all competitions with an injury, only making a brief cameo in the Red Devils’ 3-1 FA Cup defeat to Leicester City before the international break.

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Martial himself is also only just back having missed wins against West Ham United and AC Milan with a hip injury.

Should all three be doubts once club football returns, it would leave Solskjaer with extremely limited options in forward positions.

Mason Greenwood would be the only natural striker available to lead the line but having only scored once in the Premier League so far this season, he is not showing the type of form that should see him become a more consistent starter.

The Red Devils would also be missing a huge goal threat. Cavani, Rashford and Martial have contributed 32 goals between them in all competitions, accounting for approximately 37% of United’s entire total.

With the aim of securing a top four position and progressing in the UEFA Europa League, the triumvirate’s absence could be hugely harmful.

The last thing that Solskjaer needed then was another injury in a key attacking position but his fears seem to have come to fruition with Martial’s problem.

AND in more news, take a look at which Man Utd defender has taken his club form onto the international stage…

Jesse Marsch’s Leeds United finally return to Premier League action this evening, with the Whites making the trip to south London to face Crystal Palace in Monday’s 20:00 kick-off – 16 days after their 3-0 win over Watford.

As a result of this time off, the 48-year-old manager has had plenty of time to work with his first-team squad at Thorp Arch, something that could well give Leeds the edge over tonight’s opponents – who were bested 1-0 by Newcastle United last Wednesday.

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The gap between fixtures will have also afforded a number of the Whites’ injured and fatigued players a much-needed rest from the hectic Premier League schedule, although, it is reported that the meeting with Palace will still come too soon for Patrick Bamford.

And, with Daniel James having once again struggled when playing through the middle at Vicarage Road, it would appear highly advisable for Marsch to finally unleash 19-year-old Joe Gelhardt from the off against the Eagles.

“Banging on the door”

Indeed, since the American’s appointment in the Elland Road dugout, Gelhardt is yet to be included in the 48-year-old’s starting XI, featuring just four times in the Premier League under the management of Marsch, in which time he has bagged one goal – the stoppage-time winner against Norwich City a little over a month ago.

However, looking at the campaign as a whole, the £4.5m-rated striker’s impact is clear for all to see, with the England U21 international having scored two goals and registered three assists over just 486 top-flight minutes – averaging a direct goal involvement every 97.2 minutes of football played.

For comparison, while James’ record of four goals and five assists over 30 Premier League outings does better the 19-year-old’s returns, when taking into account the Wales international directly contributes to a goal an average of once every 253.4 minutes played, it is obvious who is the more deadly.

Furthermore, over the last seven top-flight fixtures in which the £16.2m-rated winger has been deployed up front, James has failed to hit the back of the net, something which would very much suggest that he is simply not suited to a central attacking role.

As such, despite his tender age, Marsch must finally place his trust in the player who Beren Cross dubbed Leeds’ “next big thing” against Palace, as it is clear to see from his impressive record in the final third that Gelhardt is very much “banging on the door” – in the words of Phil Hay – for a start under the American.

AND in other news: Joe Donnohue drops early team news ahead of Palace, it’s a double boost for Leeds

Bruno Fernandes has almost singlehandedly transformed Manchester United’s fortunes since his arrival at Old Trafford from Sporting Lisbon this time last year.

His ability to pull the strings from the midfield has catapulted Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side to the top of the table, which will rub salt in the wounds of those who once courted the Portugal international, namely Premier League rivals Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.

But their over-reliance on Fernandes has started to show signs that it is beginning to take its toll on the 26-year-old, whose performance levels have somewhat dipped since the start of the year.

It just wasn’t their day against Liverpool, as Fernandes often took one touch too many, and too many passes went astray. Indeed, he had the sort of game where nothing went his way on an afternoon which was summed up by the fact he curled a near-perfect free kick inches wide, as he lost possession 19 times and only made 20 successful passes out of 33 attempts (61%), which was far below his season average of 76%.

Reports have now emerged over the past week that the Red Devils have reportedly tabled a bid for wantaway Inter Milan midfielder Christian Eriksen – who was once described as a “special” talent by now-Paris-Saint Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino – but face stiff competition from his former club Tottenham.

The Red Devils want to take the player, whose contract is set to expire in 2024, on loan with a view to buying him permanently in the summer.

Of course, some might question whether it is worth such a gamble at face value, given his struggles in Serie A after falling out of favour with Antonio Conte.

However, upon closer inspection, it’s hard to argue why this wouldn’t be a good move by Ed Woodward. He has proven Premier League experience and, perhaps most crucial of all, he has experience of playing in the Champions League.

In the Premier League alone, the Danish international netted 51 goals in 226 outings for Spurs. Whilst his stats since the 2018/19 season are significantly inferior to those of Fernandes, they do share some similar characteristics and traits.

Indeed, both players are capable of unlocking defences in the final third with through balls and often drop deep to pick up the ball and bring others into play. Eriksen, who is two years older than Fernandes, has shown a willingness to drive into the box and create chances, as he is currently averaging 2.5 key passes per match in the Champions League, which is only slightly less than his Portuguese counterpart (3.3).

Just like Fernandes, the 28-year-old is also considered to be a set-piece specialist, as he boasts a WhoScored strength of taking set-pieces together with his ability to take direct free-kicks.

Able to play in the centre, on the left or on the right of the midfield, there’s no doubting the fact that Eriksen’s ability to play anywhere across the midfield would be an added bonus for Solskjaer. His £300,000-per-week wages, however, may be prove to be a sticking point.

AND in other news, Manchester United still want to sign Leon Bailey from Bayer Leverkusen…

Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips could miss England’s Euro 2020 campaign with a shoulder injury, which would be a huge blow to the midfielder.

The Lowdown: Key man for Leeds

The Whites beat West Brom 3-1 at Elland Road on Sunday afternoon, sealing a highly impressive ninth-place finish in the Premier League.

It has been a season full of strong individual performances, but the £24.3m-rated maestro has arguably been as good as anyone for the Whites, mastering the defensive midfield role and starting 28 league games.

The Latest: Phillips could miss Euro 2020

Phillips left the pitch with a shoulder issue late on against the Baggies, and according to The Athletic, he is a genuine doubt for the European Championship.

There is thought to be ‘concern’ from Leeds over how serious the injury is and Gareth Southgate will now be sweating over his availability.

Whites manager Marcelo Bielsa told BT Sport [via The Athletic]: “I couldn’t tell you if the injury is severe or not but I hope that he can go to the Euros. Sincerely I haven’t received any information as to the gravity of the injury. We all hope that it’s something that can be resolved quickly.”

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The Verdict: Cruel blow

Phillips had looked a certainty to make Southgate’s squad, potentially even starting their first game next month, partnering either Declan Rice or Jordan Henderson in midfield. He had started the majority of England matches since the start of the 2020/21 season, a sign that he had earned the trust of his international boss.

To miss out now would be a tough pill to swallow, with the 25-year-old a player at the peak of his powers and one who will have been desperate to impress on the world stage.

Hopefully the issue isn’t as serious as first feared and Leeds fans can watch their midfield hero shine for his country this summer.

In other news, Leeds have been urged to bid for a current Premier League striker. Find out who it is here.

Tottenham fans will be hoping that the potential return of Mauricio Pochettino could convince Harry Kane to stay at the club.

But former Premier League manager Lawrie Sanchez told Football FanCast that the England captain has already made his mind up and will be moving on this summer.

After making a handful of appearances under Tim Sherwood in the previous season, Kane was given his first proper chance in first-team football at Spurs by the Argentine, who played a major part in the striker becoming one of the most feared strikers in the world.

But the 27-year-old has made his feelings clear about wanting to leave his boyhood club, with Kane constantly reiterating his desire to be playing in the Champions League, something Spurs are unable to offer after finishing outside the top four for the second season in succession.

When Pochettino departed in November 2019, Kane said on Instagram: “I’ll be forever thankful to you for helping me achieve my dreams” – but Sanchez doesn’t think that the Argentine’s possible return will influence Kane’s future.

He exclusively told Football FanCast:

“I think Kane has made his mind up. There has been a long leaf about if he doesn’t win anything – even if he had won the Champions League it would have been difficult to keep him.

“Kane is England captain, he’s going to meet up with all his teammates over the summer, and all these lesser players are at bigger clubs winning these trophies and he’ll be thinking ‘I’m at Tottenham’, who haven’t won anything since the League Cup.”